Cigar molding and pressing machine



Aug. 16, 1966 E. D. OPPENHEIMER ETAL CIGAR MOLDING AND PRESSING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1964 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL INVENTORS EDGAR D OPPENHEIMER PHILIP POLLAK JR. Mm

ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1966 E. D. OPPENHEIMER ETAL 3,256,498

CIGAR MOLDING AND PRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 A 5 UK m m m g m a m 0 w w P O O P o N\ m D. U o R H o P o wnx M Y o D B o E M I p o n mm .H $8 63 mm www vmw O u o G a a a o a o a a a n o a a m \VQN 3% s n m w o @mw I e m ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1966 E. D. OPPENHEIMER ETAL 3,266,498

CIGAR MOLDING AND PRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1966 E. D. OPPENHEIMER ETAL 3,266,493

CIGAR MOLDING AND PRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 706 702 INVENTORS 1 EDGAR D. OPPENHEIMER M 5 ATTORNEY BY PHILIP POLLAK JR.

g- 1966 E. D. OPPENHEIMER ETAL 3,

CIGAR MOLDING AND PRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I 204 s 5 w INVENTORS 200 EDG R 0. o ENHEIMER HILIP LLAK JR.

ATTORNEY g- 1966 E. D. OPPENHEIMER ETAL 3,266,498

CIGAR MOLDING AND PRESSING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1964 e Sheets-Sheet e INVENTORS EDGAR D. OPPENHEIMER PHILIP POLLAK JR ATTORNEY United States Patent CIGAR MQLDTNG AND PRESSING MACHINE Edgar D. @ppenheimer', Mamaroneclr, N.Y., and Philip Pollak, in, Stamford, Conn, assignors to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 348,175 7 Claims. ((Il. 13181) This invention relates to an apparatus for automatically pressing cigars which have a generally circular cross-sec- IlOIl to change them into cigars having a square or rectangular cross-section.

An object of the invention is to change cigars having generally circular cross-sections into cigars having generally square or rectangular cross-sections.

It is particularly pointed out that, whereas the reshaped cigars produced will generally be square or rectangular in cross-section, the machine of the present invention may be adjusted to produce cigars having other cross-sections or they may be made substantially flat if desired.

As is generally understood many cigar smokers prefer cigars having cross-sections which are square, or rectangular, or of other shapes, rather than circular. Cigars have rectangular, or square, cross-sections, or substantially flat, may be packed in boxes more advantageously than those with circular cross-sections. Manual cigar pressers and machine cigar pressers for forming cigars having rectangular or square crosssections are well known in the art. The apparatus of the present invention aifords advantages over those presently known. The most important of these are the relative simplicity, versatility and consequent economy in cost of the machine, together with its increased speed of production and the generally improved appearance of its product. In the present machine, the cigars are pressed between a first set of dies, on a first conveyor, arranged in the form of a first continuous metal belt, or chain, which coacts with a second set of dies, on a second conveyor, arranged in the form of a second continuous metal belt, or chain. The first set of dies in the first continuous conveyor superposes the second set of dies on the second continuous conveyor. The dies are spaced in a manner to form compression chambers therebetween. The cigars having circular sections are first inserted in spaces between the dies on the lower continuous conveyor at the input end of the machine. The lower conveyor at this point is relatively widely spaced from the upper conveyor, as both conveyors pass over their respective supporting sprockets. As the cigars move forward the dies in the upper continuous conveyor and those in the lower continuous conveyor converge to form two parallel, closely spaced, preferably horizontal, runs and the cigars are molded in the compression chambers formed between two die elements in the lower run and two coacting die elements in the upper run.

The principal parts of the machine and their functions are as follows: I

(1) An upper conveyor assembly consisting of a continuous series of pressing bars, or dies, secured to two parallel chains which are supported on four chain sprockets.

(2) A lower chain assembly consisting of a continuous series of pressing bars, or dies, secured to two parallel chains which are supported on four chain sprockets.

(3) A drive motor and a drive chain assembly for driving the upper and lower chains.

(4) An arrangement for piercing the head end of the cigars while they are being reshaped, which arrangement coacts with the reshaper in such a manner that the penetration is more precisely located and more permanently fixed in position.

ice

(5) A frame structure for supporting the principal parts of the machine and maintaining their relationship one to another.

The two compression bars, or die elements, in the upper run, and the two compression bars, or die elements, in the lower run, which four elements coact to form the compression chamber therebetween, may take various forms. One such element, disclosed by way of example herein, consists of a flat elongated rectangular bar, or die, the longitudinal axis of which extends transversely of the line of motion of the continuous conveyor of which it forms the most important operative part in the reshaping of the cigars. The coacting longitudinal edges of each bar, or die, are convexly shaped. The compression chamber is formed in the space between the four adjacent coacting rounded edges, of the bars, or dies, two on the lower run and two on the upper run of the continuous conveyors. In one preferred method of operation, that portion of the compression chamber space formed by two adjacent rounded bars, or dies, in the lower conveyor is spaced slightly forwardly, in the direction of motion of the chains, from that portion of the compression chamber space formed by two adjacent bars, or dies, in the upper conveyor. Assuming a direction of motion of both coacting conveyor runs from left to right, as seen normal to their lines of motion, an incoming cigar, being carried in the depression formed between two bars, or dies, on the lower conveyor at the input end of the machine, first comes into engagement with, and is compressed by, the right hand or leading one of a pair of coacting bars, or dies, on the upper conveyor. The circular cigar is thereby first compressed and distorted between two diagonally disposed edges of two bars, or dies, one on the upper and one on the lower conveyor. In this method of operation the two adjacent bars, or dies, on the upper run or conveyor are slightly to the rear of the two adjacent bars, or dies, on the lower run or conveyor. This aifords an additional space into which the compressed distorted cigar is forced. As the motion of the two conveyors continues, the transverse cross-section of the cigar is formed into a distorted rectangle with four concave surfaces resulting from the convexity of the four rounded corners of the bars, or dies, between which it is compressed. In a short time after delivery from the output end of the machine, the concavities disappear, due to the resiliency of the compressed tobacco, and the cigar assumes an attractive, generally rectangular crosssection with nicely rounded corners. In other forms of operation, the cross-sections of the circular cigars may be changed into square, substantially fiat, or other, by adjusting the spacing of the four bar, or die elements and the relative positions of the upper and lower conveyors. Means are provided, in the present machine to permit this adjustment, as will be described hereinafter. Another object of the invention is a machine for changing the shape of the transverse cross-section of a cigar which machine is adjustable so as to accommodate cigars of diiferent sizes and to produce cross-sections of differing shapes.

Another object of the invention is a fully automatic machine for changing the shape of the transverse crosssection of a cigar, which machine has input mechanism and output mechanism which are synchronized with the die shaping mechanism.

Another object of the invention is a machine for changing the shape of the transverse cross-section of a cigar, which machine comprises mechanism, operating simultaneously with the reshaping mechanisms, for perforating the head end of the cigar.

The invention may be understood from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings, which taken together disclose a preferred embodiment in which the invention is presently incorporated. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to incorporation in the present embodiment but may take other forms which may be suggested to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the present disclosure.

In the drawings: 1

FIG. 1 is a vertical front elevation of the machine of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical rear elevation of the same;

FIG. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 33 of FIG. 1 to a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of the input end of the machine taken to a larger scale;

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the input end of the machine partly in section taken to a larger scale;

, FIG. 6 is a partial vertical side elevation of a portion of the output end of the machine taken to a larger scale;

FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6, also to a larger scale;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-section showing the mechanism for perforating the head end of the cigar taken to a larger scale.

FIG. 8A is a modification of FIG. 8 to show a means of locating the piercing needle.

Refer now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The most essential parts of the machine are two endless conveyors, an upper conveyor, indicated generally as 10, and a lower conveyor, indicated generally as 12. Each of the conveyors comprises a series of elongated rectangular bars, or dies, such as 14. Each of the plates, or dies, 14 is secured by means of a screw, such as 16, to a small L shaped bracket 18, which is secured to a link such as 20 on one side of the endless chain and to corresponding elements on the opposite side. Each endless chain is supported by four sprockets. Of these eight sprockets, only six are shown in the drawings, sprockets 22 and 24 which coact to support the upper conveyor and sprockets 26 and 28 which coact to support the lower conveyor, all at the input end of the machine, and sprockets 30 and 32 which support one side of the upper conveyor and one side of the lower conveyor at the output end of the machine. Sprockets corresponding to sprockets 30 and 32 on the opposite side of the output end of the machine are not shown. Sprockets 22 and 24 are pinned to shaft 34, sprockets 26 and 28 are pinned to shaft 36, sprocket 30 and its companion, not shown, are pinned to shaft 38 and sprocket 32 and its companion, not shown, are pinned to shaft 40. Shafts 34 and 36 are each rotatably mounted in an individual pair of adjustable bearing blocks, one of each of the pair on the opposite vertical frame walls 54 and 56 of the machine. Shafts 38 and 40 also are mounted in a pair of adjustable bearing blocks in walls 54 and 56. All of these adjustably mounted bearings will be described in detail hereinafter. Vertical frame wall 54 is mounted on legs 58 and 60 and vertical frame wall 56 is mounted on legs 62 and 64.

. The machine is driven by a motor 66, see upper portion of FIGS. 1 and 3, through a gear reduction box 68 .both of which are mounted on a bracket 70 which is fastened by bolts such as 72. An output shaft 67 driven through the gears, has pinned thereto a sprocket 74 which drives chain 76, which in turn drives sprocket 78, secured to main shaft 80 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing in a bracket mounted on side wall 54. Another sprocket 82 secured to shaft 80 drives chain 84. Chain 84 passes about idler and tensioning sprocket 86 which is secured to stud shaft 88, which in turn is mounted on plate 90, in a manner to permit horizontal adjustment on vertical frame side 54 to control the tension in drive chain 84. Chain 84 next passes about sprockets 92 and 94, which are secured to shafts 38 and 40* which drive the continuous conveyors and 12, at their front ends. The chains forming part of conveyors 10 and 12,

in passing over their rear sprockets are supported thereby and impart motion thereto. After passing about sprocket 94, the lower run of chain 84 returns to sprocket 82.

Two vertical plates 132 and 134 project from the input end of the machine, being secured to plates 56 and 54 respectively by bolts such as 133, FIG. 2, to support the input mechanism shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5. A pair of straps, such as 135 and bolts, such .as 137 aid in stiffening the structure.

Secured to shaft is a special sprocket which drives a special belt 102, having interior projections thereon arranged to fit snugly into openings between the teeth of the sprocket so as to minimize the play therebetween. The special belt 102 engages with and drives another special sprocket 104 corresponding with sprocket 100, which is mountedv on st-ud 106, which is rotatably supported in a bearing in plate 134, see FIG. 5. The objective of this particular type belt and sprocket drive is to promote proper timing between the conveyor drives 10 and 12 and the mechanism driven by sprocket 104 which controls the feeding of cigars into the input of the machine. The input mechanism comprises a gear 108 mounted on stud 106. Gear 108 drives gear 110 mounted on stud 112. Gear 110' drives gear 114 mounted on shaft 11116- which is rotatably supported in hearings in plates 132 and 134. Also mounted on shaft 116 is a first fluted drum 118 which receives the cigars 120 from the hopper 122. Gear 108 also drives gear 126, secured to shaft 128, rotatably supported in hearings in plates 132 and 134. Pinned to shaft 128 is second fluted drum 130. The cigars I120 pass from first fl-uted drum .118 to second fluted drum 130 and are deposited in the spaces between pairs of die elements 14 in the lower conveyor at the input of the machine and are then carried forward, from left to right, as seen in FIG. 1, to be subjected to the compressing and forming action of the coacting plates or dies. Gear 110 also drives gear 140, secured to shaft 142, which is also rotatably mounted in bearings in vertical plates 132 and 134. A roller 144 is integral with shaft 142 and serves to prevent any cigar from passing forwardly at random, that is unless it is carried in an individual flute in drum 118. A scraper 146 is mounted by means of screws, such as 148, on the front inner wall .150 of hopper .122 and engages the surface of roller 144. Arcu-ate fingers or guards, such as 153 are secured to brackets, such as 155, which are mounted on bars, such as 157 fixed in side walls 132 and 134. Stripper elements, such as 147 mounted on bars, such as 149, secured in walls 13-2 and 134 strip the incoming cigars from fluted drum 1 18 and direct them into the flutes in fluted drum 130. Another stripper element 154, mounted on bars such as 156, strips the cigars from fluted drum 130 and directs them into the separations between successive plates on the lower die chain. The bars such as 156 are fixed in walls 132 and 134.

. After being subjected to the reshaping, in passing from left to right as seen in FIG. 1, from the input mechanism through the coacting die mechanism, the cigars are delivered to the output mechanism shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7.

. Pinned to shaft 38, is a sprocket 160 which drives a belt 162, which in turn drives a sprocket 164, mounted on a shaft 166, which is rotatably mounted on vertical plates 175 and 177 which are bolted to vertical walls 54 and 56 at the output end of the machine. Pinned to shaft 166 is a sprocket 1 68 which drives a belt which in turn drives a sprocket '172 mounted on shaft 174. Sprockets 160, 164, 168 and 172 and belts 162 and 170* are arranged in the same manner as described for belt 102 and sprockets 100* and 104. Belts 162 and 170 drive output mechanism having elements arranged to receive cigars individually, in a manner to be described, and it is necessary to synchronize the motion of these elements with that of the other moving parts of the machine. Gear 176, shown at the lower right in FIG. 1, is pinned to shaft 174 and drives gear 178 pinned to shaft 180, which is rotatably mounted in plates 182 and 184 which are secured to vertical frame walls 54 and 56.

As shown best in FIGS. 6 and 7, two spaced circular plates 186 and 188 are pinned to shaft 166. The plates have circular flanges 190 and 192, which may be integral with the plates, and secured, as by screws such as 194, to the inner surface of each of the flanges and equally spaced in opposed positions thereabout are a plurality of U shaped blocks 196. Mounted for limited rotation about a stud 198, passing edgewise between the arms of each block 196, is an L shaped bracket, or finger, 200. Integral with the bracket is a stud 202, rotatably mounted on which is a roller 204. A coiled tension spring such as 206 is secured between a pin 208 in each bracket and an individual pin 210 in the opposite plate. Bolted to plates 175 and 177, by bolts, such as 212 and 213, are a pair of annular rings 214 and 216, the inner surface of each of which is arranged as a cam, as at 218 and 229. Bolts 213 carried by plate 177 are employed for the pur pose of permitting lateral adjustment of cam rings 216 to conform to cigars of differing lengths. The hub 215 of circular plate 188 is provided with a set screw 217 so that it may be displaced on shaft 166 in consonance with the adjustment mentioned above. The rollers such as 204 engage the cam surface as shaft 166 rotates. When the rollers engage the wider part of the annular ring, as measured radially, each roller rotates its associated bracket 200, about its stud 198, toward the annular ring, distending its individual spring 286. When each opposed pair of L shaped brackets such as 200 is rotated into a predetermined position, adjacent the space between a pair of die plates, such as 14 on the lower continuous die chain 12, at the output end of the machine, FIGS. 1 and 2, the cams successively activate some one pair, of opposed pairs of L shaped brackets, which is momentarily in the predetermined position, so that the pair of brackets closes upon the ends of a cigar and carries the cigar between them, as they are rotated, into a position superposing an opposed pair of cigar transfer elements, such as 222. As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer elements 222 are fastened by screws, such as 224, to L shaped brackets, not shown, which are secured to links 226 of an endless chain conveyor. The conveyor is supported at one end on opposed sprockets such as 230, which are pinned to shaft 180. Two laterally spaced transfer elements, such as 222 in transverse alignment on the conveyor, coact in receiving each cigar from the L shaped brackets 200 and transporting it toward the right as seen in FIG. 1, toward packing apparatus, not shown.

Most cigars now sold in this country have their head ends pierced to relieve the smoker from the need to puncture the head before smoking. The piercing should be centered, lying along the longitudinal axis of the cigar. As a result of the reshaping process, the longitudinal axis of the reformed cigar may not coincide exactly with the original longitudinal axis of the cigar. To insure that the piercing is in proper position in the reshaped cigar, and to expedite manufacture, in the present machine, the piercing operation is carried on simultaneously with the reshaping.

After the four coacting die members, such as 14, have attained their ultimate relative compressing positions, so that the position of the longitudinal axis of the cigar, relative to the position ultimately assumed by its four sides and four corners, is established, piercing apparatus in the present machine becomes operative to puncture the cigar. How this is done will now be described.

Refer now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 8. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, a sprocket 240 is pinned to shaft '80 and drives a sprocket 244 pinned to shaft 246. Shaft 246 projects laterally through the machine and on its far side, as shown in FIG. 3, has a pair of sprockets 248 and 250,

indicated generally as 260. The piercing operation is controlled by a cam mechanism, indicated generally as 262, which actuates each perforat-or during part of its traverse on the upper lap of the chains 256 and 258 to perforate the head end of a cigar.

The perforator 260 comprises an outer short hollow tubular casing 264, which is secured to both chains 256 and 258, preferably by welding. Within casing 264 is a sleeve 266 having an adjacent hollow cylindrical portion 268 of enlarged cross-section, which is terminated in a cup shaped end portion 270, having an axial perforation communicating with the interior of the hollow cylindrical portion 268. A cylindrical rod 274 passes through the sleeve 266 and has at one end an enlarged head 276 which, in one limiting position as best shown in a corresponding assembly to the right, abuts a shoulder 278, at the lower end of the hollow chamber, in cylinder 268. Projecting axially from head 276, and integral therewith, is a needle shaped cigar piercing element 280, coiled about which and constrained between an end wall of the cylinder 268 and head 276 is helical compression spring 282. At the lower end of the rod 274, as seen in FIG. 8, is a bracket 284 carrying a stud 286, rotatably mounted on which is a roller 288. A helical compression spring 290 is constrained between bracket 284 and the lower end of element 264. Cam mechanism 262 comprises cam 291 which is secured by two bars such as 292 to an L shaped bracket 294 fastened to the frame by bolts such as 296. As roller 288 engages the working edge of cam 291, the plunger 274 is actuated, as seen in FIG. 8, against the compressive force of springs 282 and 290' forcing the piercing needle 280 into the head end of the cigar along its longitudinal axis. In FIG. 8 the perforator mechanism 260 is shown, in full, in four positions A, D, G and H and, in part in four intermediate positions B, C, E and F. In position A, follower 288 commences engagement with cam surface 298 at the beginning of the perforating operation and at B, C, D, E, F and G the follower has been forced, as seen in FIG. 8, against the compressive force of springs 282 and 290, as the follower moves along cam surface 300, propelling the needle toward and progressively more deeply into the head end of the cigar until, after reaching position G, the follower rolls down cam surface 302 and off the cam, while springs 282 and 290 force the plunger carrying the needle back to its normal unoperated position.

At the input end of the machine, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shafts 34 and 36 are carried in blocks, one on each side of the machine, the positions of Whidh are adjustable. On the front side, as seen in FIG. 1, lower shaft 36 is carried in block 310 which is adjustable vertically in way 312. Lateral flanges on the block, not shown, project to the right and left behind elongated vertical slots 314 and 316. Bolts such as 318 project through the slots and perforations in block 310 by means of which the block carrying shaft 36 may be bolted into any vertical position in way 312. The opposite end of shaft 36, as :shown in FIG. 2 is similarly arranged. As shown in FIG. 1, the position of upper shaft 34, carried in block 320, is horizontally adjustable in way 322 under control of bolts 324 in elongated horizontal slots 326 and 328. The opposite end of shaft 34, as seen in FIG. 2, is similarly arranged. At the output end of the machine, shaft 38 and 40 are arranged for both horizontal and vertical adjustment. As shown in FIG. 2, the shafts 38 and 40 are displaceable horizontally with blocks 50 and 52, respectively, which latter are mounted on individual frame elements 329 and 331 and are sildeable in horizontal ways 330 and 332 under the influence of bolts 334 and 336, respectively, each of which is equipped at its respective right end, as shown in FIG. 2, with a ring, such as 338, which receives its respective shaft. Each bolt passes through an aperture in a vertical element such as 340, forming part of its respective frame, and is equipped with a nut, such as 342 which abuts vertical element 340, which forms a bearing against which the nut, upon being turned in one direction, draws shaft 38 toward the left, as seen in FIG. 2, to tighten continuous chain 10. When screw 342 is turned in the opposite direction shaft 38 is drawn to the right, by the tension of chain 10, relieving the tension thereon. The lower input shaft 40 is similarly equipped. Frames 329 and 331 may each be displaced vertically to raise or lower their respective shafts, in a manner which should be understood from the foregoing. Similar apparatus is mounted on the front of the machine to permit horizontal and vertical adjustment of the front ends of shaft 38 and 4t).

Arrangements are provided whereby the chains 18 and 12 may be displaced relative one to another along the line of motion of the belts. This is effected by an adjustable mechanism by means of which the position of chain 12 :may be moved forward or backward relative to chain 10. It will be recalled that sprocket 92 which drives shaft 38 and sprocket 94 which drives shaft 40 are driven by the same chain 84 and that, in effect, die chains 10 and 12 are driven by shafts 38 and 40. It is possible to move shaft 40 forward or back-ward with respect to chain 84 in the following manner. Although sprocket 94 drives shaft 40, it does so indirectly, through adjustable disc 350. Disc 350 is keyed to shaft 40 by key 352. There are two arcuate slots such as 354 in disc 350 through each of which a screw such as 356 projects into an internally threaded aperture in sprocket 94. The screws may be backed off to effectively break the drive. Integral with sprocket 94 and projecting from its surface into a :U-shaped opening 357 formed between two arms 362 and 364 integral with discs 350 is a lug 358. Each of the arms 362 and 364 has an internally threaded aperture. An individual screw such as 360 is threaded through the aperture in each of the arms 362 and 364 and can thus be brought to bear on an individual vertical surface of lug 358. To rotate disc 358 in one direction, or the other, a particular one of the two screws such as 360, is backed off, and the other is turned in a direction to bear against its respective surface of lug 358 and rotate disc 350, shaft 40 and chain 12 in the desired direction.

. The hopper 122, FIG. 1, may, if desired, be provided with a heating element, such as a resistor 380, which is connected to a source of potential 382, to preheat the cigars, prior to reshaping.

As shown in FIG. 8A, each of the piercing needles, may be heated by means of a small resistor 384 having an axial opening through which the needle projects. The resistors may be connected individually through a commutator 386 to a source of potential 388.

The upper run of the chain carrying the piercing elements is supported by bracket 392, secured to the frame of the machine.

As shown in FIG. 1, the hopper is provided with means for vibrating the cigars slightly, to insure that they progress uninterruptedly toward the machine infeed. The mechanism comprises the conveyor or bottom 3% which is hinged at 392, the motor 394 which drives an eccentric crank 396. The crank has :a roller on an end thereof which gently vibrates hopper bottom 390.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for changing a cigar having a circular transverse cross-section into a cigar having a substantially rectangular cross-section, with rounded corners, said machine having a first continuous conveyor and a second continuous conveyor, closely overlying said first conveyor, said machine having a cigar compression chamher, said chamber formed between the edges of two pairs of coacting continuously moving substantially identical flat plates in said machine, one pair of said plates being mounted on said first conveyor and the other mounted on said second conveyor, said edges being convex, said pairs being displaced one from the other in the direction of motion of said plates as said plates move on adjacent laps of said conveyors, so that one pair lags the other pair, so as to enlarge the compression chamber formed therebetween.

2. A machine for changing a cigar having a substantially circular transverse cross-section into a cigar having a substantially rectangular cross-section, with rounded corners, said machine having a first continuous conveyor and a second continuous conveyor, closely overlying said first conveyor, said machine having a cigar compression chamber, said chamber being formed between the edges of two pairs of coacting continuously moving substantially identical flat plates .in said machine, one pair of said plates being mounted on said first conveyor and the other mounted on said second conveyor, said edges being convex, said pairs being displaced one from the other in the direction of motion of said plates as said plates move on adjacent laps of said conveyors, so that one pair lags the other pair, so as to enlarge the compression chamber formed therebetween, said compression chamber having its longitudinal axis normal to the line of motion of said plates, and means for actuating said plates so as to reform the cross-section of the cigar by forcing the cigar in the direction of displacement between said pairs of plates.

3. A machine for reshaping cigars having substantially circular transverse cross-sections into cigars having substantially rectangular cross-sections with rounded corners, said machine comprising two opposed closely spaced coacting continuously moving conveyors, each of said conveyors being formed of a series of closely adjacent elongated narrow plates lying athwart their respective conveyor and normal to the line of motion thereof, a cigar compression chamber formed in the space between the elongated edges of a pair of adjacent plates on the first of said conveyors and the elongated edges of another opposed pair of adjacent plates on the second of said conveyors, said edges of said plates being convex the rounded edges on the pair of plates of one conveyor lagging slightly behind the rounded edges on the pair of plates on the other conveyor, so as to thereby enlarge the compression chamber formed therebetween, and means for actuating said plates so that the cigar is first engaged by a first pair of diagonally opposite edges of said plates, one on each conveyor, and later by the second pair of diagonally opposite edges of said plates, one on each conveyor.

4. A cigar machine for reshaping the cross-section of a cigar, said machine comprising a pair of continuous die chains, one of said chains superposing the other and closely spaced therefrom, each of said chains formed of a series of closely spaced elongated cigar compression die elements oriented with the longitudinal axis of each transverse the line of motion of its respective chain, means in said machine for controlling a first and a second pair of said elements, one pair on each of said chains, to form a cigar compression chamber. therebetween, each of said die elements on each of said chains being an elongated fiat plate having a convex edge arranged to coact with a substantially identical flat plate disposed diagonally opposite on the other conveyor, said pair of plates on one conveyor lagging slightly behind the coacting pair of plates on the other conveyor, to enlarge said chamber, an input cigar feed for directing each cigar individually to one of said compression chambers, an output mechanism for removing each of said cigars individually from one of said chains after reshaping, and means for actuating said input feed, said chains and said output mechanism in synchronism.

5. A cigar machine in accordance with claim 4, having cigar head piercing equipment, means for moving said equipment at the same speed at which said chains are moved, means for actuating said equipment so as to pierce the end of each cigar while the cigar is being conveyed and compressed in said compression chamber, and means for synchronizing said equipment with said chains, said input feed and said output mechanism.

6. A machine in accordance with claim 3 having a cigar head perforating mechanism, means for actuating said perforating mechanism with said conveyors, and means, responsive to the movement of said conveyors, for actuating said perforating mechanism to perforate the head of a cigar being carried in said compression chamber.

7. A machine in accordance with claim 6 in which said perforating mechanism comprises another conveyor carrying a perforating element, cam mechanism on said machine, responsive to the movement of said other conveyor, for actuating said perforating element to perforate a cigar being carried in said compression chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 85,344 12/1868 Studer 131-85 355,334 1/1887 Nefi' 131-83 369,956 9/ 1887 Ofterdinger 131-77 X 382,548 5/1888 Neif 131-83 439,934 11/1890 Estenoz 131-86 1,571,968 2/1926 Roby 131-87 1,740,575 12/ 1929 Clausen et a1. 214-147 2,075,055 3/1937 Prager 131-254 2,140,093 12/1938 Stelzer 131-87 2,929,384 3/ 1960 Eissmann 131-87 X 3,048,281 8/ 1962 Godfrey 214-1 3,138,164 6/1964 Respass 131-81 X FOREIGN PATENTS 364,299 7/ 1923 Germany. 862,114 1/ 1953 Germany.

98,055 5 1961 Netherlands. 131,583 5/1929 Switzerland.

OTHER REFERENCES German printed application #1,083,735, June 1960. German printed application #1,089,316, September 1960.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

H. P. DEELEY, IR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR CHANGING A CIGAR HAVING A CIRCULAR TRANSVERSE CROSS-SECTION INTO A CIGAR HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR CROSS-SECTION, WITH ROUNDED CORNERS, SAID MACHINE HAVING A FIRST CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR AND A SECOND CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR, CLOSELY OVERLYING SAID FIRST CONVEYOR, SAID MACHINE HAVING A CIGAR COMPRESSION CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBER FORMED BETWEEN THE EDGES OF TWO PAIRS OF COACTING CONTINUOUSLY MOVING SUBSTANTIALLY INDENTICAL FLAT PLATES IN SAID MACHINE, ONE PAIR OF SAID PLATES BEING MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST CONVEYOR AND THE OTHER MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND CONVEYOR, SAID EDGES BEING CONVEX, SAID PAIRS BEING DISPLACED ONE FROM THE OTHER IN THE DIRECTION PF MOTION OF SAID PLATES AS SAID PLATES MOVE ON ADJACENT LAPS OF SAID CONVEYORS, SO THAT ONE PAIR LAGS THE OTHER PAIR, SO AS TO ENLARGE TO COMPRESSION CHAMBER FORMED THEREBETWEEN. 